Woman attacked for wearing LGBT shirt

BELGRADE -- A young woman was attacked in downtown Belgrade on Saturday for wearing a T-shirt with LGBT symbols.

She sustained serious injuries after a minor attacked her with a knife. She is now stable and under constant medical supervision.

The attack on the young woman is a direct consequence and a price of cancelation of the Pride Parade, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has stated.

LDP’s Dejan Ranđić said in a written statement that such incidents showed state’s unwillingness to stand up to those who promoted hatred, intolerance and violence.

“The explanation for cancelation of the Pride Parade which did not make a clear difference between hooligans who wanted to set Belgrade on fire and demolish it and peaceful citizens who wanted to fight for their rights guaranteed by the law and the Constitution resulted in a brutal attack and outbursts of intolerance,” Ranđić pointed out.

He added that the fact that nobody was arrested for planning scenarios to create chaos during the Pride Parade had “additionally encouraged all those who wanted to fight against anyone who is different or does not think like them with aggression and violence”.

The LDP official also stressed that politicians who called for cancelation of the Pride Parade should also bear their share of responsibility.

Labris gay rights NGO has condemned the attack on the young woman and called on the authorities to punish the attacker.